Warcraft: Not on the Cards
by Hawki
Summary: Oneshot: The Alliance had been formed upon the eve of the Second War, and had started to fall apart almost immediately afterwards. After decades of conflict, the bonds of brotherhood were starting to fray again. Anduin was determined to maintain them. Regardless of the cost.


**Not on the Cards**

Stormwind had changed, Tess Greymane reflected, as she walked through the corridors of the city's keep.

It had changed slowly. It had changed subtly. It had changed in a manner that she was sure that if she asked the people in the city how it had changed, they'd say it had always been like this. That Stormwind had always had a heavy presence of footmen, stationed at every corner. That SI: 7's latitude in dealing with "threats to the realm" was justified in these troubled times. That it was quite natural that there be so few non-humans here because Stormwind was a human city, the capital of a human kingdom, and humans had always been the glue that held the Alliance together. And if non-humans didn't like that, then they could go back to where they'd come from.

Such were her suspicions. Over the last few years, they'd become suspicions built upon solid foundations. What people said. What they didn't say. And how few there were to say things that were different from the word of the Crown.

_And what will you say? _Tess wondered as she approached the office of the king. _And what won't you?_

Approaching the giant oaken doors, guarded by two hulking men in full-plate armour, she had a good idea of what they'd say – nothing.

"I'm here to see the king," she said.

As expected, the guards remained silent.

"You can tell him that Tess Greymane is here to see him."

"We know who you are, Gilnean," one of the guards murmured.

The emphasis on her nationality didn't escape Tess's notice. Still, she bit her tongue. She had a sword, she had armour, but she doubted that it would accomplish much against the king's bodyguards. Men with the sharpest swords and finest armour who accompanied him everywhere he went, even within the confines of his own keep. It was a change that few had batted an eyelid to – his grandfather had been murdered by an assassin after all. But Tess had noticed. Many people from the outside looking in had noticed. Just as she noticed one of the guards glowering at her as the other gently opened the door and whispered something.

Tess took a breath and waited for an answer. She hadn't announced her visit. And when the door opened, when Anduin looked at her with a smile, she couldn't help but smile back.

"Tess?" he asked. He gave her a quick hug. "Why, I had no idea you were coming."

Tyranny often wore a smile, she thought.

"Come in," he said. He led her into his office, all of it in immaculate order except the piles of parchments on the desk, plus the quills and ink pots. "I needed an excuse to get away from all this."

"Yes, we all have excuses," she murmured.

Anduin gave no sign that he heard her. As he went to pour some wine, she glanced at the parchments. All bore his seal, but at this angle, and at this height, it was hard to read what was written.

"Wine?" Anduin asked.

"No, thank you."

Anduin shrugged and took a seat at the desk. "Please, sit," he said, gesturing to the chair.

"I'll stand," Tess said.

There was a flicker in Anduin's eyes that indicated that he'd finally caught onto how this was more than a social gathering. When he took a sip of the wine, and asked, "so what can I do for you, Lady Greymane?", Tess knew that he'd come down to her level. Politics. A low level, full of dirt and grime, but the level people like them had to operate on. Especially these days.

"There's many things you could do for me," Tess murmured. She looked out one of the office windows, the summer sun doing nothing to alleviate the chill she felt inside. She looked back at him. "Especially concerning Gilneas."

Anduin frowned. "I thought I could count on you to keep it in the fold."

"You could," she said. "Initially. Even after my father became…"

"A traitor?"

Tess remained silent. She wanted to say "a wanted man," but Anduin had beaten her to it.

"He hasn't tried to contact you, has he?" Anduin asked.

"If he tried, I'd know," Tess murmured. Anduin went to say something (and she had a good idea as to what), but she beat him to it. "But this isn't about Gilneas."

Anduin raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No. Well, yes, but more it's about…" She glanced at the door, before looking back at him. "It's about Ava."

Anduin stared at her.

"Ava," she said. "_Ava_."

Anduin remained silent.

"The winner of the Grand Hearthstone Tournament a week ago. The one who voiced her support for Gilneas's independence after that tournament. The one who, thanks to an order signed by you, is now facing a year in gaol. Not to mention the forfeiture of her earnings."

Anduin frowned. "I know who you're talking about." Tess went to speak but her beat her to it. "And I thought you'd understand that we can't have people blabbing about Gilneas leaving the Alliance. Especially when you've been so instrumental in keeping it in the fold…regardless of family considerations."

Tess remained silent. 'Family considerations' – maybe it was easy for Anduin to comment on that when he had no family left. Not like her, when she'd failed to stand by her father when he'd called for his kingdom to leave the Alliance. Not when she thought she could accomplish more by working with Anduin.

The king got to his feet and walked over to the window. In his late twenties, he was still in the prime of his life, but he carried a weight beyond his years. A weight that earned her respect, to an extent.

"The Alliance is on the verge of crumbling," he said. "The Burning Legion, the Lich King, the Old Gods…more trials than one could imagine came our way, and we stood above them all. Now, where are we? What's keeping us together without an enemy to fight? Especially now we're at peace with the Horde."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He looked at her. "It's not," he said, and his voice lacked not for sincerity or conviction. "But we both know history Tess. The Alliance was formed on the eve of the Second War, and began to fall apart just as quickly once the conflict was over. And King Terenas stood by and let it happen." He put the wine on the table and walked over to her. "I'm not Terenas. I'm not going to let the Alliance fall apart, no matter what the likes of Greymane or Tyrande say. Because the bonds of fellowship that bind us can only be as strong as their weakest link."

Tess smirked, and Anduin frowned. "Does that amuse you?" he asked.

"No," she said. "Absolutely not. But it does seem counterproductive to bring your wrath down on young girls for speaking their minds."

"Girls who were at an official tournament sponsored by the Crown's own coin. She's there to play a game of cards, not a game of politics."

"Anduin, perhaps it's somehow escaped your notice, but life itself is politics. And in life and politics, let me tell you – this is the wrong decision."

"Don't talk to me about wrong decisions Tess. Your father's dragged Gilneas out of the Alliance twice. Most of your life has been in the company of people making wrong decisions."

She stared at him. "You've changed," she murmured.

"I have." He drank more of the wine. "My father taught me to fight for peace. Well, this is me, fighting. Tens of thousands have given their lives for this world, for this brotherhood, and I'll be damned if I let their legacy fall apart."

"Regardless of what some people think? Some who might want to go their own way?"

"Regardless of that," he said. "I'm the king of Stormwind, and the high king of the Alliance. And you'd do well to remember that, even if your father's forgotten." He returned to his desk. "Now, unless you have other matters to discuss with me…"

Tess gave a small brow. "Of course not, your grace."

She could have said more. That he was making the wrong decision. That actions such as this were wrong both morally and politically. That the backlash had already begun, and the Alliance he was so desperate to save might fall apart even faster because of them.

But she didn't. She remained silent, and exited the study.

Wondering if her silence had saved or damned her.

* * *

_A/N_

_So yes, this came from the Bitchung _Hearthstone _controversy over the Hong Kong riots. How could you tell?_


End file.
